Man overboard recovery
- 1. Man Overboard Recovery Practice on Elise Express 27 Photos: Ultimate Yachtshots
- 2. Man Overboard Recovery Sequence Person falls overboard – crew shouts ‘Man Overboard, throws flotation/location device and skipper appoints a ‘spotter’
- 3. Nat walks forward to help the jib out
- 4. Nat becomes a human pole
- 5. Oh no, Nat falls overboard!!!
- 6. Figure Eight Recovery Sail on a reach away from MOB ~ 4 boatlenghts away, tack Sail down (broad reach) until you are below the MOB Blow the jib Point head to wind and stop boat by the victim Works in all cases (including heavy seas and winds)
- 7. Quick Stop Tack immediately and do no touch the jib sheets (back jib) Pull mainsail into centerline position Keep turning around the MOB until you can pull up MOB from a leeward position and stall boat next to the victim Once below the MOB, gybe to head back up to the MOB Do not touch the sail (mainsail is still secure in center position) Reduces chances of losing sight of the MOB. Great in light winds and short-handed
- 8. Quick Stall (with inboard engine) Turn your boat into the wind (stops the boat) Start the engine Lower the sails Go to MOB under engine Put engine in neutral when close to the person
- 9. When you get close to MOB In a keelboat, have the MOB to LEEWARD Let jib floats freely (it will do nothing) Let the main go and put the rudder in the opposite direction. If you have a tiller, push the tiller toward the victim and secure it
- 10. Recover to leeward, over the side Standing
- 11. Two crew members pull Nat out
- 12. Quick Stop Method Time back to victim: 30 seconds Haul back time: 10 seconds
- 13. Recovery to leeward ‘rolling over the lifeline’
- 14. Oh no! Nat falls overboard again! To windward this time
- 15. Driver keeps boat straight until clear of MOB (so stern does not knock victim out)
- 16. Driver then drives to a beam reach
- 17. Nat keeps arms close to body to stay warm
- 18. Crew tells Nat she’s too heavy (!)
- 19. Crew grabs Nat’s leg (and instructs Nat)
- 20. Nat rolls over the lifeline (which could be lowered)
- 21. Figure Eight Recovery Method Time back to victim: 45 seconds Haul out time: 15 seconds (including 5 seconds to convince Nat that she really was too heavy)
- 22. Recovery from the stern If the boat has a lot of freeboard and a swimming ladder or platform, recovery from the stern may be a good idea
- 23. Oh No! Nathan now falls overboard!
- 24. Nathan makes sure we see him
- 25. Jib is blown, boat testing ‘no go zone’ and has plenty of space to try again if need be
- 26. Nathan is brought to swimming area. Note tiller is locked to leeward to keep boat in irons
- 27. Figure Eight Recovery – 1 extra try Boat did one extra test for the ‘no go zone’, (if you are not sure that the boat will be headed into the wind, you can ‘test’ by coming up and head down if too early) Time to reaching victim: 50 seconds Haul out time: 15 seconds (including taking victim back to stern)
- 28. Recovery to windward Over lifeline – standing (this is particularly helpful with dinghies as a leeward recovery may cause the dinghy to capsize)
- 29. Oh no! Nathan falls overboard again!!! What a clumsy crew on Elise!!
- 30. Horse shoe ready to be sent to Nathan
- 31. Nat is happy to have Roger’s help…
- 32. Phew! Nathan is back on board
- 33. Quick Stop Recovery Method Time back to victim: 25 seconds Haul back time: 10 seconds (Nathan helped himself A LOT) Nathan held the ‘fetal’ position while in the water to limit heat loss. This works by limiting the amount of skin/body area that is in contact with cold water
- 34. Aided Haul Out
- 35. How terrible! Nathan falls again!
- 36. Nathan is too heavy. Nat reaches for the jib halyard
- 37. The jib halyard could have hoisted Nathan back, had he been wearing a harness, or had the horseshoe/life sling been available.
- 38. Nat makes a harness with the jib sheet and ties the jib sheet to the halyard
- 39. One arm through the loop
- 40. Two arms through the loop – Nathan is ready to be hoisted up onto the boat
- 41. Nat checks that lines are clear
- 42. Roger is ready to grind Nathan up
- 47. Haul out time: 60 seconds
- 48. The End! Thanks to Nathan, Roger, Nicolas for the great team work Thank you Elise for hosting the event Thank you Ultimate Yachtshots for the great photo coverage http://ultimate- yachtshots.smugmug.com / As well as ‘Go Sailing’ for the MOB approach diagrams http://www.gosailing.info/Man%20Overboard.htm